Apartment fire in East El Paso displaces 16 residents

Firefighters work on the roof of a townhome in the 1700 block of Pico Alto on the eastside Saturday morning. Yhe had just cut a hole in the roof of the structure to allow smoke to vent. (Victor Calzada / El Paso Times)

An electrical short caused an apartment fire in East El Paso and displaced 16 residents Saturday.

About 8:50 a.m., the El Paso Fire Department responded to a fire in the 1700 block of Pico Alto Drive.

When firefighters arrived, they saw smoke coming from the windows of the apartment complex. Three of the four apartments were occupied.

Fire investigators said the cause of the fire was an electrical short in the wiring between a dryer and the breaker panel of the complex.

El Paso Fire Marshal Calvin Shanks said flames and smoke spread to pipes and utilities, making the fire difficult to extinguish.

Residents were evacuated, and no injuries were reported.

REPORTER

Alex Hinojosa

The American Red Cross of El Paso helped the residents, who said they had family members they could stay with.

Monique Ramirez said she was taking a shower when she smelled smoke.

"I told my daughter to go and check the stove," Ramirez said. "I thought I left something on there. But she came back and told me that it wasn't on and there was smoke filling up the apartment."

Ramirez said that she got out of the shower when she saw smoke coming from the shower head.

"I ran and got everyone out," Ramirez said. "I have four kids -- two boys and two girls. We were going to put the Christmas decorations up today. I had the tree out and everything. So much for that."

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Other residents in the complex said their apartments filled with smoke, but they didn't know where it was coming from.

Jose Lopez said the walls of his apartment were hot and he could hear flames crackling.

The complex had significant damage and was deemed uninhabitable, Shanks said. Damage to the complex was estimated at $200,000.

Landlord Greg Rivera said he wants to repair the building so residents can return.